A to Z Monday ~ The Edible Letter G

Garlic on our dining room table.

My kitchen window at the cabin. This composition titled: Garlina, Rose and Trout.

I also use garlic powder in my cooking. Trader Joe's California is my favorite.

The only garlic left in our house right now. Partially used...of course!

The letter G could only be represented by one thing for me: GARLIC!!!

We L-O-V-E garlic at our house. Just about anything that can have garlic in it, does. At our farmer's market towards the end of the summer we can get the most wonderful part of the garlic plant, the bulbil. Bulbils are these yummy tiny garlic bits (we call them nubins!) that we keep in a small bowl and are constantly munching on. Yup, we have lovely garlic breath most of the time. he he.

When we go to British Columbia we have to go to our garlic restaurant, The Outer Clove. In San Francisco it would have to be The Stinking Rose. We are just plain garlic aficionados. If I was at the cabin I'd take some more pictures of my garlic paraphernalia:a long garlic braid, a garlic trivet and a garlic bud vase. The second photo here has my dear little Garlina (in the lower left hand corner) whom I have taken from one home to another for well over 20 years. Since she is up in N.Idaho I can't take a picture to show you her 'backside' but from the back she just looks like a head of garlic. (I usually let her watch me cook!) Anyway, I don't think there is much that doesn't taste great with the stinking rose!

For more A to Z food posts, please visit our fun friend Jen HERE.

Have a wonderful week and like my friend, Dorothy, make sure to remember something to be thankful for each day. Blessings on the head to all who pass this way.

love, Cassie

Shadow Shot Sunday ~ Mr. & Mrs. Mallard (for now!)

This lovely couple of Mallard ducks is on one of the canal banks in Phoenix. They will remain a couple until the female lays her eggs, then he will desert her. What a cad!! The Mallard Duck is the ancestor of all domesticated ducks.

When I took these photos I was trying to capture the shadow shot. I think it is interesting the way the shadow also transferred to the reflection.

For more shadowy creatures and such, just click here to get to the Hey Harriet blog!

A - Z Monday ~ The Fantastic Food Letter F

This is a CUP of French Onion Soup that I had in December at Papa Byrd's Bistro in N. Idaho. I know I've said this before, but this place has amazing food. Everything fresh and homemade and as you can see---good size portions. Is it any wonder I have trouble loosing weight when I go home?? (Their signature soup, Butternut Squash Jalapeño is out of this world!) Here is the start of Mama Cassie's fajitas. First I julienne a green & red bell pepper and a whole onion. Then I lightly sauté them in olive oil and set aside, leaving any oil in my pan.

Next I brown (in this case I had baked the chicken strips previously) some chicken breast strips and add fajita sauce and stir. For my sauce I use Lowry's Fajita's spices and rather than just adding water to them I also add some vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. And, I mix it up at least a day ahead. This really gives an extra kick to the fajitas.

After the chicken is nicely coated I then reintroduce the veggies and get them nice and coated with sauce and brown up a bit more. Finally I add chopped tomatoes and stir for about a minute. It's that easy!

Now all that you have to do is serve with a plate of warm flour tortillas, sour cream and perhaps some fresh guacamole. Yum yum.

Some of you might have noticed that I have a table cloth under my frying pan. Yes, I always keep an old table cloth handy in my kitchen for when I have anything that might splatter. I HATE splattered oil and even worse, cleaning it up, so I take precautions to make clean up much easier. I also use a splatter screen to help prevent a mess. Another cleaning tip is to keep a vinegar soaked or soapy sponge close by and always clean up immediately when something spills or splatters. Your welcome.

love, Martha, er I mean Cassie

ps-Please stop by Jen's blog for more A-Z foodsters!

Shadow Shot Sunday

This is a shot I took of daughter, Jessica, a few years back. Old duffers always say she has a perfect swing! I always have liked the shadow that she casts here.

For more SSS, or to join in the fun, please go visit Tracey at Hey Harriet! Have a great weekend.

Blessings on all who pass this way. love, Cassie

Adding this PS after reading Jabblog's comment: Jessica is not a leftie. And, she has her clubs up in Seattle with her, but I don't think she gets out much any more.

Friday Foto ~ Red!

Last Sunday we did a Pet Walk at Tempe Town Lake. It was a beautiful day, for a worthy cause and not too hot yet! The perfect combination. Also, there was lots of red all over!! For more Friday Fotos just click here.

A to Z Foodie Monday ~ The Letter E

This is the Savoury Impossible Egg Pie before I put it in the oven.

I can NOT believe I did not get an after photo. We gobbled it down too quickly!

I could hardly wait for E to come along so I could post about this scrumptious egg dish. My blog buddy, Carolyn, from Simple Things posted this almost a year ago to the day! She calls this Savoury Impossible Pie. I'm going to send you over to her blog to get the instructions for making it, just click HERE. Since most of you are in the States, make sure to read the comments, as I wrote to Carolyn as I was trying this for the first time. I have made it a dozen times since and every time it turns out fab! I have found it only takes the 45minutes she suggests if I use both a pie dish & a smaller baking dish such as a ramekin. I've added capers, mushrooms, artichokes, green onion, and mixed cheese in the body of it. Mmmm. I think this is going to be our Monday supper tonight. Oh goody, easy and tasty too!!

Bon appétit mes amis!

For more A to Zers, Jen has us listed on her sidebar.

Shadow Shot Sunday ~ Dog Park Seating

For more Shadow Shots slip on over to Hey Harriet and say "Hey" to Tracy!

Hoping you have a great Sunday! Blessings!!

Friday Foto ~ Red

Please visit Friday Foto for an explanation of my collage. Just click HERE!

Happy Friday!

love, Cassie

A to Z Monday ~ The Letter D

D is for Diet Plans. Not planning a diet, but heaven knows I should. Went to Wikipedia (LOVE that site!) to see a few diet plans and was astounded at the number of diet plans listed. I'm only going to show you the list through the letter D since that is our letter of the day!

100-Mile Diet

A -

Alkaline diet,

Atkins diet

B -

Best Bet Diet,

Blood Type Diet,

Body for Life,

Breatharian diet,

Buddhist diet,

C - Cabbage Soup Diet,

Cookie diet,

Crash diet,

D -

Daylight diet[1][2],

Detox diet,

Diabetic diet,

Diet for a New America by John Robbins,

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or the DASH Diet,

Dr. Hay diet

Make sure and go to Jen's blog to see all the others who are posting on A to Z Monday.

Happy Monday!!

love, Cassie

Shadow Shot Sunday

Patrick walked both dogs for a while so I could get a double dog shadow shot.

This one makes Hootie look very chubby!

It seemed much easier to get good shadows of Hootieboy, our Welsh Terrier.

This final photo is Baby Rocket Dog, our Airedale. There really is a difference in their shadows.

Go on over to Hey Harriet for more Shadow Shot Sunday. If you click on her Mr. Linky link it lists all the folks participating in SSS. Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. Blessings on all who pass this way.

love, Cassie